Free Peoples
|connectedresources = |bonusresources = }} About Free Peoples Free Peoples is a medium sized, mostly developed, and aging nation at 552 days old with citizens primarily of Mixed ethnicity whose religion is Shinto. Its technology is first rate and its citizens marvel at the astonishing advancements within their nation. Its citizens pay extremely high taxes and many despise their government as a result. The citizens of Free Peoples work diligently to produce Pigs and Gold as tradable resources for their nation. It is a mostly neutral country when it comes to foreign affairs. It will usually only attack another nation if attacked first. When it comes to nuclear weapons Free Peoples will not research or develop nuclear weapons. Plans are on the way within Free Peoples to open new rehabilitation centers across the nation and educate its citizens of the dangers of drug use. Free Peoples allows its citizens to protest their government but uses a strong police force to monitor things and arrest lawbreakers. It has an open border policy, but in order for immigrants to remain in the country they will have to become citizens first. Free Peoples believes in the freedom of speech and feels that it is every citizen's right to speak freely about their government. The government gives foreign aid when it can, but looks to take care of its own people first. Free Peoples will not make deals with another country that has a history of inhuman treatment of its citizens. Economy Even before the founding of the current Free Peoples' Republic, there has been a tremendous emphasis on capitalist policies, often at the cost of the environment. The country's historically con-federal nature made it difficult for the government to control inter-state commerce, which resulted in significant deforestation. The country's industrial and agricultural past ruined the environment, but set the stage for the raging economy in the current century. The GDP per capita is around $30,000 USD, although it should be noted that income inequality is still large in Free Peoples. In order to combat poverty, extensive welfare programs are in place, which help to ensure that all citizens have a reasonable standard of living. Although critics often point to the working class having to endure horrible air and water pollution, the government ensures that everybody has access to public education, healthcare, police and fire department coverage. There is a flat 41% income tax, although it is likely that a progressive income tax will take effect in the future. Following the DH-NPO war, the economy of Free Peoples was decimated by multiple nuclear attacks. An estimated 95% of the country's infrastructure was destroyed. It took nearly a decade to recover the economic damage from the global war. After the economy fully recovered, its economy reached historic records nearly 50% higher than the pre-war economy. Heavy investments in technology and infrastructure have allowed astonishing levels of economic growth. GDP stands at roughly $2 trillion. Taxes have been lowered after post-war recovery and a 40% flat tax is now in effect. Critics argue that a flat tax is unfair and that 40% is a high tax rate. However, the government runs a surplus and invests tremendous amounts of money in cutting edge infrastructure and military spending. Government The government of the Free Peoples' Republic was modeled after that of the United States of America. There are five states in the country, each with two senators and a certain number of representatives that is based on the population of the state. Presidential elections take place every five years and proportional representation is used. The result is a Congress composed of several different parties with the President typically belonging to any of the country's major parties. The Presidential elections use a double-ballot system if necessary. Terms in the House of Representatives are four years in length with no limit on the number of reelections. Presidential terms are five years in length with the opportunity for one reelection. Judiciary Branch The judiciary (also known as the judicial system or judicature) is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the sovereign or state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the judiciary generally does not make law or enforce law, but rather interprets law and applies it to the facts of each case. This branch of government is often tasked with ensuring equal justice under law. It usually consists of a court of final appeal, together with lower courts. History The original Free Peoples' Republic was founded by William Francis the Great. A famous war general, William Francis set out to create a nation "free from the persecution of other powerful nations, free to govern itself democratically." The Free Peoples' Republic has experienced a number of government changes. William Francis the Great set up a direct Democracy. After William Francis' death, a military coup saw the country become a totalitarian dictatorship under the leadership of Francis the Terrible. Francis the Terrible was ousted during a particularly violent uprising led by Louis the Great, who was a supporter of William Francis. After the uprising, the government was organized into a Republic with elected leaders. As the country grew tremendously, the need for a strong Federal Government became apparent. Today, the federal government of the Free Peoples' Republic is very powerful and resides over many issues. The leader name "WilliamFrancisLouis" is a title taken by the elected President of the country as a nod to the previous heroes of the country. This is also a symbolic gesture made by the president to uphold the values put in place by these men. Today, statues of William Francis and Louis the Great can be seen in various cities around the country. Freedom Day is celebrated on May 15 to honor William Francis and Louis the Great. Military The armed forces of Free Peoples is led by the President, who serves as the Commander in Chief. The President can declare war unless 80% of the nation's senators object to the president's declaration of war. In an effort to keep the President and senators more accountable, there can be impeachment proceedings if a declaration of war is ruled unjust by at least three quarters of the House. After the military coup led by Francis the Terrible, a huge emphasis has been placed on keeping both the military and the president accountable. The armed forces of the Free Peoples' Republic places huge importance on both extensive military training and maintaining a high tech arsenal. The government pours huge sums of money to maintain the airforce. During times of peace, there is a small reliance on tanks that patrol and secure the borders of Free Peoples. During times of war, the nation is capable of producing tremendous numbers of tanks rapidly. The military of Free Peoples is considered to be loss sensitive, however they have been criticized by both the left and other foreign nations of being too militaristic Air Force The citizens of Free Peoples take great pride in their air force. Tremendous amounts of money are spent on research and development of more advanced fighter and bomber aircraft. The F-86 historically played a major role in the airforce. The importance of a powerful airforce was made apparent after thousands of civilians lost their lives due to enemy bombings. Thanks to the booming economy of the country, purchasing and maintaining a massive airforce is feasible. The air force now plays a crucial role in maintaining the national security, and borders, of Free Peoples. An early, less advanced air force, was one cause of the many casualties in the recent war with Argentum (See Below). Wars DH-NPO War Culture The culture of the Free Peoples' Republic can best be defined as a fusion of many different cultures. While most of the population practices Norse, Christianity and Judaism also make up a significant portion of the population's religion. Freedom plays a tremendous role in the culture of Free Peoples, thanks in part to the takeover of the country by Francis the Terrible. Politics plays a huge role in the citizens of Free Peoples and political life is seen as a noble profession with tremendous competition for roles in government. The varied cultures of the many different ethnicities in the country are unified by their love of freedom and democracy. Climate Most of Free Peoples has a temperate seasonal climate in which humid westerly winds predominate. The climate is moderated by the North Atlantic Drift, which is the northern extension of the Gulf Stream. This warmer water affects the areas bordering the North Sea. Consequently in the north-west and the north, the climate is oceanic; rainfall occurs year round with a maximum during summer. Winters are mild and summers tend to be cool, though temperatures can exceed 30 °C (86 °F) for prolonged periods. In the east, the climate is more continental; winters can be very cold, summers can be very warm, and long dry periods are often recorded. Central and southern Free Peoples are transition regions which vary from moderately oceanic to continental. In addition to the maritime and continental climates that predominate over most of the country, the Alpine regions in the extreme south and, to a lesser degree, some areas of the Central Uplands have a so-called mountain climate. This climate is characterized by lower temperatures because of higher altitudes and greater precipitation caused by air becoming moisture-laden as it lifts over higher terrain. Cities Independence Independence is the capital of the country and is also the country's largest city. It is home to over five million people. Independence experienced recent growth thanks to its economic explosion in recent decades. City planners did not design the road systems with this in mind and as a result traffic is a considerable problem that affects everything from commuters to freight trucks. This has begun to affect the manufacturing districts in the northern part of the city. During rush hour it is not unusual to see entire bridges filled with stopped traffic. The city's near complete absence of mass transit has also led to the current traffic problems that plague the city. The city was built near a river delta, which provided it with plenty of irrigation water when the city's economy was dependent on farming. The city has experienced several phases of development. First was a predominantly agricultural economy, second was a predominantly industrial economy and the third was a switch toward a service based economy. This third phase was slowed down by the unwillingness of employers to move their companies into such a polluted and traffic plagued city. Factory owners started leaving the city after traffic started hurting the transport of goods. This brought pollution down, which helped encourage companies to move their offices there. Environment The environment is in horrendous condition, though efforts are underway to improve it. The country's switch away from a manufacturing dominated economy has helped to make this possible. The government has come under fire by nearby nations for its mistreatment of the environment. Several presidents have pledged to clean up the environment, though very few have done anything to help the situation. The country's raging economy plays a major role in convincing voters to side with pro-business parties which have controlled much of the government for the past several decades. In recent years, more pro-environment parties have won various seats in government, though none have won the presidency. International Relations While many parties have controlled the government of Free Peoples, most leaders have not waged offensive wars against authoritarian states. While citizens of the Free Peoples' Republic value freedom, it is forbidden by the constitution of the country to wage foreign wars to topple foreign governments unless it is percieved as a direct threat to national security. While it is still possible to abuse Presidential power in declaring war, it is unlikely since Presidents face impeachment for an unjust war. Kingdom of Syndrono The relationship between neighbors Syndrono and Free Peoples is an important one for both countries. Though Free Peoples is a far larger nation, the two collaborate well on regional issues, and share the same national animal, the llama. Additionally, the leaders of both nations have often been personal friends. The nations hold annual road rallies which utilize both nation's highway systems, closing them to the public for the duration of the event. This has caused many issues within the federal government of Free Peoples, where people debate the right of the government to hold such an event. These events are nationally televised and bring in significant advertising revenue. Syndronians are much more compliant, with rallying, and proper track-based racing events playing a significant role in their culture and lifestyle. While some politicians of Free Peoples have criticized King Syndrono for its lack of transparancy, a vast majority of citizens from Free Peoples adore and respect the Kingdom of Syndrono. Education Education is highly valued by the citizens of Free Peoples. Education is funded at the state level and represents a significant part of the budget. Proclamations And other Documents *'Equal Immigration Act': In response to a large influx of illegal immigrants, the government passed an Act mandating that any non-criminals can be given citizenship pending the passing of an immigration exam. While immigration has declined in recent years, the Act has remained in place in order to protect the rights of potential immigrants. The Act also requires that any immigrant must be able to pass an English language exam. Due to the large array of ethnic groups within the country, this mandate helps ensure that communication between citizens of the country is as smooth as possible, even if citizens choose to speak their native language in their everyday lives. *'The Extradition Act': The Free Peoples' Republic will extradite any criminal wanted for crimes committed in an allied country. This includes war criminals and civilians who have broken the laws of allied governments. In the event of a citizen of the FPR committing a crime in an allied country, the Republic has the right to try said criminals in a domestic court, rather than a foreign court.